DSXchange

Greetings,

Having a problem importing a COBOL CopyBook as a COBOL FD table def into DSEE via the designer. I get the following error:

'PIC' PICTURE character string format must have at least a 9, A, G, N, or X symbol.

In trying to import the following 2 lines in the copybook:

000364 15 ML-CON-LOT-RLSE-PR REDEFINES ML-SALE-PRICE PIC FFSI000A
000364 S9(9)V COMP-3. FFSI000A

000372 15 ML-CON-LOTS-RLSED REDEFINES ML-YEAR-BUILT PIC FFSI000A
000372 S9(5) COMP-3. FFSI000A

I tried putting the 2 lines onto one as follows:

15 ML-CON-LOT-RLSE-PR REDEFINES ML-SALE-PRICE PIC S9(9)V COMP-3.

and nothing, same error. The funny thing is other redefines in the copy book are not getting this error..

What gives?

TIA,

ff

Remove the "V" from the PIC clause, where it appears after the close parentheses.

Before you import, though, decide if you actually need the redefinition of the field. If you need one "version" but not the other, make it the primary line and remove the REDEFINES clause. If you need both, by all means keep them.

The COBOL copybook on a mainframe system will have extraneous text at the end of lines. You can delete anything after the final period, as shown in your example below.

The critical part, though, is that the line must start in position 8. Use spaces rather than tab.

In your example, combining the lines would look like this after removing the "V":
The CFD import wizard is finicky and unfriendly. Be patient with it.

Thanks Franklin, that did the trick. COBOL table importer IS a little finicky! You didn't work in Los Gatos back in 04' for the Ascential COBOL support team did ya? have a G'Day!

ff

I'm an East Coast COBOL dinosaur, ff. Started in 1990, and about 80% of my ETL development is for MF data dependencies.

I keep forgetting that the using MF data FAQ is linked in my post signature. I wrote it (pats self on back) and you may find it helpful in a general way.

Got it; and I should have caught that link on your sig line, will use it for sure!

TIA,

ff